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Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Since I read the announcement in 2009 that there was to be a theme park devoted to recreating the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, I was beyond excited. After waiting in line for each of the books release – I started late as I only discovered the Harry Potter books just before Book 3 was released in 1999 – it was on my bucket list to see the world I had come to love in the books come to life.

I would read reviews and watch celebrities like Ellen visit the WWOHP and lap it up. And four years later, in 2013 I finally got the chance to go Universal Studios Orlando to see it for myself.

Seeing the gates to the WWOHP brought tears to my eye. Yes I am a geek.

It was the middle of Summer and so rehydrating is a must.

All the stores in WWOHP are true to the books. When I asked one of the Wizard shop assistants at Olivanders about shipping stuff back home, she pulled out a Book of Spells and flipped to the Shipping Spells section. Also JK Rowling made sure that all the drinks sold in this part of Universal were authentic to the Wizarding World – so no soft drinks like Coke. Only Butterbeer, water, Pumpkin Juice, traditional lemonade and craft beer at the Three Broomsticks.